Deandre Johnson is the reigning Defensive Lineman of the Week in the SEC following a monster performance in the win at South Carolina. The senior had six tackles, 2.5 sacks and a forced fumble in the win. Johnson’s forced fumble in the second quarter stalled a Gamecocks drive, and two of his sacks came on third down, including a key stop in the fourth quarter.

But in talking with reporters on Tuesday, Johnson wants more out of himself, and the defense.

“I’m glad I got it, but I want more,” he said of the award. “This team wants more. … It felt great but I couldn’t have done it without my teammates. Shoutout to our front seven.”

Johnson has emerged as a leader for the Vols, as he’s appeared in 32 games and made four starts.

Tennessee plays host to Missouri this week, the Vols are hoping to build on the defensive showing they had last week as they largely bottled up South Carolina after its opening drive.

“Now that we’re getting everybody back to full-strength, this defense could be dangerous,” Johnson said, including the younger guys. “Biggest thing for those guys is work ethic. They come in every day and ask questions. You can see it in their eyes. As a group, we all have to keep getting better.

H/T Ben McKee, Ryan Schumpert